Fairmont State University graduate students, in collaboration with the City of Fairmont, Fairmont Parks and Recreation, and Morris Park, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, May 22, to celebrate the completion of a new Zen Garden at Morris Park.
Fairmont State University proudly celebrates Assistant Professor of Graphic Design Jared Tadlock, who has been named one of the 2025 Generation Next: 40 Under 40 honorees by The State Journal and WV News. Tadlock was selected from hundreds of applicants across West Virginia for his professional excellence, creative leadership, and lasting impact on both campus and community.
Fairmont State University’s Board of Governors held their bi-monthly meeting June 25 in the Falcon Center Board Room. During the meeting, the Board heard from President Mike Davis and his senior leadership team, whose reports indicated that enrollment and housing are looking very strong for the fall. These updates, together with the University’s continued financial strength, indicate a great future for the “college on the hill”.
Fairmont State University is proud to announce a new partnership between its Open-Source Intelligence Exchange (OSIX) and ProWave AI to launch a summer pilot program focused on enhancing open-source intelligence (OSINT) capabilities. The program, running from June through mid-August, will allow OSIX scholar-analysts to test and evaluate ProWave AI’s Stylo News platform in real-world intelligence scenarios, including projects in support of the West Virginia National Guard.
Over 1,000 Fairmont State University baccalaureate students have been honored for their academic achievements throughout the Spring 2025 semester.
Fairmont State University students recently took center stage in a unique interdisciplinary celebration of original fiction and visual art, organized by Dr. Robert Powers, assistant professor of English. The event featured student-written stories from Dr. Powers’ fiction workshop course, alongside artwork inspired by those stories and created by students in Professor Joel Dugan’s special topics illustration course.
Haley Zoladz, a native of Morgantown, West Virginia, and an Elementary Education major at Fairmont State University, recently completed a Citizen Science project for the Smithsonian Institution as part of an official SciStarter Citizen Science Month Event - Falcons on the Map: A Celebration of Citizen Science. Through the Smithsonian Digital Volunteers: Transcription Center, Zoladz contributed to the preservation and accessibility of historical documents by transcribing handwritten records into digital format.
Fairmont State University is pleased to announce the launch of a new Master of Science in Environmental Science (MSES) program, set to begin in Fall 2025. The MSES program is housed in the Department of Natural Sciences within the College of Science and Technology and is designed to address critical environmental and economic needs across West Virginia and the broader Appalachian region.
Fairmont State University will serve as the proud host of the 2025 Northeast Aerial Drone Competition Championship, a premier four-day event set to take place at the Falcon Center from May 29 through June 1. Bringing together 120 top drone teams of middle and high school students from Maine to Kentucky, this event is the largest of its kind in the country and a celebration of innovation, engineering, and student achievement in STEM education.
Fairmont State University continues its upward trajectory, welcoming its largest orientation group in years on May 10. Nearly 200 new and returning students arrived on campus, signaling a strong start to the academic year and underscoring the university’s growing momentum in enrollment and student success.
As Fairmont State University prepares for Commencement on May 17, the Office of the Provost and Faculty Senate took some time to honor its faculty at an awards and recognition lunch held in Colebank Gym. During the ceremony, individuals were celebrated for their years of service to the University and accomplishments such as promotions and tenure. The Faculty Senate also presented special awards.
The April meeting of the Fairmont State University Board of Governors featured an update on plans for a $12M re-investment as the institution continues answering the state’s call to create economic development opportunities for West Virginia. The Board also approved multiple academic program reviews and heard updates from President Mike Davis on ways the University is working to bring the community and the campus closer together.
Eight forensic science students from Fairmont State University recently attended the 2025 American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) Annual Conference. This premier event draws leading forensic professionals, researchers, and students from across the nation. The conference, held earlier this year, provided an invaluable platform for students to present their work, engage with experts, and explore diverse career pathways within the field of forensic science.
Fairmont State University’s premier flight program is soaring to new heights with the addition of two new aircraft, increasing training opportunities for students and expanding enrollment capacity. The latest additions include a Cessna 172S G1000 and a Schweizer 300 helicopter, further solidifying Fairmont State’s position as the leading Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 141 flight program in the state. This designation means the program is characterized by structured curriculum, qualified instructors, and is overseen by the Federal Aviation Administration, to ensure compliance with all federal requirements.
After a highly competitive national search that attracted more than 70 applications, President Michael Davis has selected Dr. Allen J. Bedford as Fairmont State University’s next Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA). The search process was assisted by a committee consisting of representatives from all five colleges, the Faculty Senate, Staff Council, Student Government, Provost’s Office, and Executive Leadership Team. Bedford will begin his new role on June 2.
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